Monmouth Park is New Jersey’s summer racetrack. It sits in Oceanport, a couple of miles from the Long Branch beaches, and runs thoroughbreds from May to September. Its biggest day is the Haskell Stakes in July.
It is also where legal sports betting in New Jersey began. On June 14, 2018, Gov. Phil Murphy placed the state’s first legal sports bets at the Monmouth Park sportsbook. In 2022 it became the first US track to take fixed-odds horse racing bets. In November 2025 it opened a new 16,000-square-foot Caesars Sportsbook beside the clubhouse.
Ownership and history
The name goes back to 1870, when the first Monmouth Park opened on July 30 to draw summer visitors to the Shore. Racing there ended when New Jersey banned betting on horses in 1894. Pari-mutuel wagering was legalized again in 1939, and the current Monmouth Park opened on June 19, 1946, in front of 18,724 people. Amory L. Haskell, the first president of the Monmouth Park Jockey Club, led the effort.
The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority bought the track in 1985. It is run by Darby Development, led by Dennis Drazin, who helped push New Jersey’s sports betting case to the US Supreme Court. In 2007 Monmouth hosted the Breeders’ Cup, the first time the event ran over two days.
The track
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Main track | 1-mile dirt oval, with chutes for 6-furlong and 1 1/4-mile races |
| Turf course | 7 furlongs, with a diagonal chute for 1-mile to 1 1/8-mile races |
| Season | May to September, about 50 race days |
| 2026 meet | May 9 to September 13 (the 81st season) |
| Address | 175 Oceanport Ave., Oceanport, NJ 07757 |
The 2026 meet had 36 stakes worth $5.85 million, nine of them graded. New for 2026, every daily double and Pick 3 carries a 15% takeout.
In the fall, Monmouth runs a short all-turf meet at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, raced at night under the lights. The state awarded nine dates for it in 2026. See our Meadowlands guide.
The Haskell Stakes
The Haskell is a Grade I race for three-year-olds over 1 1/8 miles, worth $1 million and sponsored by NYRA Bets. It began in 1968 as a handicap for older horses and became a race for three-year-olds in 1981.
Past winners include Serena’s Song (1995), the first filly to win it, and Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (2015), whose year set the attendance record of 60,983. Bob Baffert has trained a record nine winners.
The 2026 edition, run July 18, went to Baby Vino at 28-1. He beat Preakness winner Napoleon Solo in a stretch duel and gave trainer Lindsay Schultz her first Grade I win.
The Haskell card also carries the Grade II Molly Pitcher and United Nations, each worth $500,000, and the Grade III Monmouth Cup.
Caesars Sportsbook
The original Monmouth Park Sports Book was run with William Hill, which Caesars bought and later rebranded. The new Caesars Sportsbook opened in November 2025. It is a standalone building next to the historic clubhouse, with indoor and outdoor seating and views across the track.
Inside you’ll find:
- Screens across the walls showing live sports
- More than 25 self-service betting kiosks
- A staffed counter, a center bar and a VIP section
- A Shake Shack with its full menu
It takes bets on sports and horse racing. You must be 21 to bet on sports.
Betting online
Monmouth Park holds its own online sports betting license. BetRivers runs its online sportsbook under it. The track also promotes the Caesars Sportsbook app.
Betting on horses at Monmouth
You can bet the races three ways, at 18 or older:
- Pari-mutuel, on track: win, place and show, plus exactas, trifectas, superfectas, daily doubles and multi-race Pick wagers.
- Fixed odds: at the MonmouthBets windows on the first floor of the grandstand or clubhouse, or through the MonmouthBets app anywhere in New Jersey.
- Online pari-mutuel: through 4NJBets or NYRA Bets, which went live in New Jersey in July 2026.
Our horse betting guide compares the apps.
There is no hotel on the property, but there is Bluegrass Minigolf, and the track runs handicapping contests and viewing parties through the year.
Getting there
- By train: NJ Transit’s North Jersey Coast Line stops at Monmouth Park station during the racing season.
- By bus: NJ Transit route 831 serves the track.
- By car: take Route 36, which connects to the Garden State Parkway. I-195 and the New Jersey Turnpike also link to the area.
What’s next
A proposed constitutional amendment would allow casinos at Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands. It missed the 2026 ballot, so 2027 is the earliest voters could decide.
For the rest of the state’s casinos and tracks, go back to our Atlantic City casinos and NJ racetracks guide.
Must be 21+ for sports betting and 18+ for horse racing. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
FAQ
When does Monmouth Park race?
Monmouth runs a thoroughbred meet from May to September, with about 50 race days. In 2026 it ran from May 9 to September 13.
When is the Haskell Stakes?
The Haskell is run in July. The 2026 edition was on July 18 and was won by Baby Vino at 28-1.
Does Monmouth Park have a sportsbook?
Yes. The Caesars Sportsbook, a 16,000-square-foot building next to the clubhouse, opened in November 2025.
Can I bet fixed odds on horses at Monmouth Park?
Yes. Monmouth was the first US track to offer fixed-odds racing bets, in 2022. You can bet them on track or through the MonmouthBets app anywhere in New Jersey.
How old do you have to be to bet at Monmouth Park?
18 for horse racing and 21 for sports betting.